Writing a Summary
Definition of a Summary
• “A summary is a condensed version of a larger
reading. A summary is not a rewrite of the
original piece . . . To write a summary, use
your own words to express briefly the main
idea and relevant details of the piece you have
read. Your purpose in writing the summary is
to give the basic ideas of the original reading”
(http://homepage.smc.edu/reading_lab/writi
ng_a_summary.htm).
Selecting a Source
• When choosing an article to summarize, keep
in mind that your summary will be
approximately 25 percent of the length of the
original article. This will allow you to cover all
the major points. For example, if your
assignment is to write a 500-word summary,
choose an article that is approximately 2,000
in length.
Selecting a Source, Continued
• Consider the readability of the article. There will
be some unfamiliar terms in any article, but if an
article is written for experts in a particular field, it
will be too difficult for a layperson to understand,
and therefore, impossible to summarize.
• Check to ensure that the publication is up-to-date
by looking at the date of publication, and also
make sure that the author is an expert in his or
her field.
Reading the Source
• Read through your source, taking note of main
and major ideas. Main ideas usually appear at
the beginning of the article and may reappear
at the end as well. Major ideas usually appear
that the beginning of a paragraph and are
followed by supporting details.
• Next, look for major details and examples that
support main and major ideas.
Reading the Source, Continued
• Record information needed for your Works Cited
list.
• For a traditional print article, record the name of
the author, the title of the article, the date of
publication, the volume and issue number, and
the page numbers.
• For an online article, also record the date you
accessed the article, the url (web address), and
the name of the database along with the
suscribing library, if applicable.
First Draft
• Similar to any other essay, the structure of your
summary should include an introductory
paragraph. This introduction, however, should
include the name of the article’s author, the title
of the article, and the central idea or thesis of the
article.
• The body paragraphs should address the most
important points in the original article. The topic
sentence of each paragraph should state the
main idea of that paragraph and include the
name of the article’s author.
First Draft, Continued
• Do not insert your own ideas or opinions.
Remember that you are restating the original
author’s ideas in your own words and in a
condensed form.
• The concluding paragraph should sum up the
author’s ideas.
Finalizing Your Summary
• Proofread and correct your rough draft
carefully.
• Make sure your summary has not left out
anything important, that it makes the same
point as the original article, and that it is
coherent and flows smoothly.
Finalizing Your Summary, Continued
• Have a tutor or peer review your summary
critically. Ensure that your reader can
understand the purpose of the original article
from reading your summary.
• Correct all mechanical errors.
• Document your source in a Works Cited page.
Sources
• Arlov, Pamela. Wordsmith: A Guide to
Paragraphs and Short Essays. 4th ed. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2010.
Gorrell, Donna. The Purposeful Writer: A Rhetoric with
Readings, 2nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1993. Adapted
by Judith Kilborn with the author's permission for The
Write Place, St. Cloud State University. “Process for Writing
a Summary.” 1997.
13/9/10. http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/
summary.html.
Writing a Summary. 13/9/10. http://homepage.
smc.edu/reading_lab/writing_a_summary.htm).